Chapter Four: The Break of Day

Still smiling, Lily glanced down at the bookshelf and gasped. Every shelf was filled with picture albums, from "Baby Harry: Photos of Godric's Hollow" to "Harry's First Year at Hogwarts (Battle with Voldemort, Round Two)" and the newest one, an odd addition that read "The Potter Press Release." Her daughter-in-law was precious, Lily decided.

Knowing how much Harry hated his fame, Lily pulled out the latest album, "The Potter Press Release" curiously. Opening to the front page, she was met by the following inscription:

"For our best friends, on their first anniversary:

So, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Potter have survived their first year against the press!

Well, here's your year, in summary—according to only the most reliable sources, of course.

We've included our comments as well, for the amusement of you and yours.

With love,

Mr. Ronald Weasley and Ms. Hermione Granger-Weasley"

Lily smiled and turned the page. So Ron and Hermione had ended up together. She had expected no less of Harry's oldest friends, and she wished them all the best. Her smile faded quickly as she read through the first article. The second followed much the same vein as the first, as did the third, and the fourth, and the fifth…Lily's face was thunderous by the time she finished the first half of the book. Only Ron and Hermione's wry and witty commentary kept her from rushing off to haunt some of these blasted reporters into early graves. But by the end she was smiling again, flipping past picture after picture of the adoring couple on their wedding day. ("Hermione thought that you might need to see these after all those"Ron had written at the end. "And you know that she's always right.")

Lily chuckled lightly as she returned the book to the shelf. She shed a few brief, bitter tears that she and James had missed the most important day of their son's life, but there was simply too much joy in her heart for any real grief to intrude.

For the next short eternity, Lily perused the pages of her son's life. She beamed with pride at the photo of Harry winning his first quidditch match, shouting in exultation as he held up the tiny golden ball, its wings fluttering uselessly against his fingers. She laughed; she cried. She stared soberly at the final page in his seventh-year book. It was a close-up of a bleeding Harry in torn, mud-splattered robes, standing wearily over a dark, smoldering hulk, a shining silver sword in one hand and a broken wand in the other.

Below the photograph in Harry's spiky handwriting was written: "Tom Riddle, also known as Lord Voldemort, was defeated on 11 June 1997. Albus and Minerva Dumbledore died protecting Harry Potter from him."

Below Harry's note, a smaller, elegant hand had corrected him: "Professors Dumbledore gave their lives for the Wizarding World, for all their students, their beloved school, and for Harry Potter, whom they loved like a grandson. Their sacrifice gave Harry Potter the opportunity to destroy the greatest evil seen in England for more than two centuries. The heroism—and the love—exhibited by all three will not be forgotten."

There were only two words below that, but they told Lily everything. "Thank you."

"He still misses them." Lily gave a small start at the sound of the pensive voice behind her. "I do, too," the young woman added quietly.

"They were extraordinary people." Lily paused, struck by a sudden thought. "'Albus and Minerva Dumbledore?'"

Her daughter-in-law laughed softly. "Yes, Albus and Minerva Dumbledore, who somehow managed to hide that fact from everyone for more than fifty years."

After replacing Harry's final school album, she turned to face the young lady reclining in the rocking chair. "Mrs. Potter?"

Lily was startled. "Please, dear, just Lily. You're Mrs. Potter now…though I did like the sound of 'Mother,'" she confessed.

"Mother, then," her daughter-in-law said with a smile. "I have someone I'd like you to meet." The young woman rose, and Lily realized abruptly that the bundle of emerald green in her arms was not simply another blanket for her bed.

"Lily Evans Potter, meet Lily Viviane Potter. Lily, love, this is your grandmother." Twin pairs of emerald green eyes met, one drowsily amused and the other awed and confused. "She's only a few months old, so we haven't been getting much sleep—I'm sure you remember how it is."

"Yes," Lily whispered absently, staring down at the tiny child with a reverence bordering on worshipful.

"She has your eyes." Lily simply nodded, wondering if all new grandparents were equally speechless when presented with their personal miracles. "Would you like to hold her?" Lily accepted her granddaughter into her arms with loving tenderness. Baby Lily was beautiful, a perfect combination of her parents.

"She's perfect," Lily whispered, working hard not to cry. This was Harry's daughter. Her little boy's little girl. Little Lily smiled up at her, and suddenly, Lily Evans Potter knew why she had come tonight.

Handing her grandchild back to her daughter, Lily straightened. "Would you wake Harry for me, please?"

The young woman honored Lily's unspoken request for silence and after carefully readjusting the baby in her arms, moved to obey. "Harry?" she called softly, shaking his shoulder gently. "Wake up, Harry."

"Wha…whazzit?" Harry's voice was heavy with sleep.

"It's important, Harry," his wife insisted. The young man groaned and rolled over. "Harry James!"

"I'm up, I'm up," he protested groggily. He put on the glasses she handed him. "Now, what is it that's so important that I—" Harry broke off, having caught sight of the woman standing silently behind his wife and daughter. "Mum?" he whispered, white as a sheet.

"Hello, Harry." Lily smiled gently at her son. "I've come to say goodbye."

"What?"

"Shh, Harry. You needed me, when you were little. You dreamed about me, didn't you?" He nodded, dumbly. Lily looked over at her daughter-in-law and smiled again. "But you don't need me any longer, Harry, and so it's time for me to go."

"But Mum—"

Lily shook her head. "Always remember that your father and I love you very much and that we're very proud of you and everything you've done." She looked at her two children. "Look after each other." Dawn was breaking on the eastern horizon again, and with a final smile of benediction, Lily Evans Potter faded into the daylight.

A/N: Like it, don't like it? Review! Will post ridiculously happy epilogue in a few days.